The funny thing is, I don't think younger crowds are having as much trouble as some of the old timers enjoying all versions of Trek.

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People who are presented with all these versions as already existing are a lot less likely to perceive the earlier versions being of better quality than later ones. For the most part, it's only folks who've invested themselves emotionally in an older version who have trouble with the newer ones.

Lots of younger people prefer TNG to TOS, for example.

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The Next Generation is almost 30 years old, and started in the 1980s, so while I agree it might be preferred by some younger people to TOS, it still looks very "dated" in terms of the effects and story pacing, compared to the new Abrams version of Trek - TNG is the choice of their dads' generation - it's "old school", I think... :-)

But JJ Abrams knows that great sci-fi isn't simply about space ships - it's about great characters. When the IMAX camera isn't taking in a planet-sized action scene, it's cut close to the actor's faces - for a film about strange new worlds, Into Darkness is remarkably intimate. The Enterprise crew are excellent again, from Simon Pegg's wisecracking Scotty to Zoe Saldana's Uhura, but it's Kirk and Spock's on-screen chemistry that steals the show. And while there's plenty of nods to the series keep Star Trek fans happy, Abrams has once again managed to make the franchise accessible for those new to the series. As Spock says, "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few" - a tip to blockbuster directors everywhere.

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Exactly - Sci Fi fiction needs to modernize to stay relevent to the current audience - tastes evolve, as does technology. Growing up in the 1980s, I loved TOS and TNG, but now when i watch them, they seem very much representations of a certain audience of the decade they were created in - the 1960s and the 1980s. I love seeing how my favorite TOS characters are being reinterpreted for a modern audience!

Anyway, so for a mild rant if you will all indulge me. I am concerned that this movie is basically some kind of Michael Bay meets a big melting pot of Trek fanfic. I mean Section 31 is a TNG-era invention (DS9 specifically), Khan was the obvious fan bait (which even in-and-of-itself isn't necessarily a bad thing, just sort of annoying that's who it is since we all knew it), and the hands on each side of the transparent glass imagery and other clear homages (or direct copies depending on how you look at it), etc. tell you what they're going after.

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Hi there,

I must admit I am not quite clear on your concern here? Is it Michael Bay mixed with fanfic? In a way, yes. It's edge of your seat, visually-stunning action mixed with the character interaction and relationships that fans enjoy and have written about for years, mixed with some reflections on terrorism, our attempts to combat it, and where we cross the moral line between defence and revenge. That sounds like the best of all worlds to me.

I'm also annoyed that Spock Prime is even seen again, it really seems like this Spock has thrown his temporal common sense out the window.

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I like the fact that they are showing such respect for the original cast. Nimoy looked considerably older five years down the track from our last glimpse of him, and Shatner may never agree to appear. These actors, sadly, won't be around forever. How many more opportunities will the franchise have to embrace them?

Shouldn't he be picking an out of the way place with the new Vulcan population and keeping out of history's way? It appears he is not doing this.

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I assure you, he is doing exactly that. But confronted with the prospect of you-know-who, and actively asked about him, he compromises his promise to stay out of things and advises extreme caution.

While it would be another spoiler for me at this point I'd like to know what his role in Into Darkness is. Since it seems he may have tipped people off to the existence of Khan, either said or unsaid on screen, it seems like that's the only way they would know (aside from a pure random chance encounter with the Botany Bay).

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They explain how the Botany Bay was found, and why they were looking. Spock Prime has nothing to do with it.

It sure seems like this version of Spock just started a total brain dump of what he knows from the late-24th century of the Prime universe to give a leg up to the new universe's 23rd century Starfleet.

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No, he hasn't done this.

I would think reminding us of Spock Prime would just make for an awkward reminder that this all has been done before in some shape or form, instead of letting it all just stand on its own.

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That depends on whether you like the resonance and sense of fate and destiny between the two timelines (in the way the same characters are drawn together and the universe tries to heal itself) or whether you want a completely new and disconnected story. And that, of course, is up to you. Me? I like a little resonance, as long as it's not overused. It was a little overused in the climax of this movie, for me. I probably would have pulled back a little on the mirroring.

That said...if you find stuff like Abrams's Star Trek movies and all the other expensive noisy summer movies enervating and/or discouraging as far as the state of current film, here's a far more cogent examination of what's going on than you're going to find in the whinging around here or on any of the popular Internet movie sites:

This thread is gonna take off big time in about 18hrs when the first midnight showings finish! First it will be a trickle of grades & reviews... then a torrent when UK/AU/NZ/DE opening midnights & days begin fully !

The 50th anniversary is a very big deal - to a dwindling number of people, most of whom are no longer their target demographic or audience. It's definitely a promotable event to the wider public, but I really doubt that it's worth enough dollars to make pushing a movie out by a certain date a goal that overrides all else.

If after all that these two movies are accomplishing for them the studio execs think that the anniversary is more important than having Abrams's full attention on Star Trek for a couple of years I think they're probably wrong.

Quite so. There are any number of ways they could celebrate the anniversary without rushing a film. A touring mega-convention with everyone they can get to attend. A screening event of the extant movies like they did for the 25th anniversary--perhaps presented in various cities by Trek alumni. The kinds of things hardcore fans will attend (and they're the only ones who will really care about the 50th anniversary). People compare it to Bond's fiftieth, but that's a false comparison. Bond only has the films, really, while Trek has a lot more.

Really. You make a big promotion and event in September of 2016, get everyone from the TV shows and movies there and then Abrams can show ten minutes of the Star Trek movie that will be premiering in May of 2017.

Really. You make a big promotion and event in September of 2016, get everyone from the TV shows and movies there and then Abrams can show ten minutes of the Star Trek movie that will be premiering in May of 2017.

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Sounds like a plan. But will it meet with the approval of…nah, wrong forum to be posing that question.

Well, now that's out of the way, my self imposed exile on Ceti Alpha 5 can end, and I look forward to visiting here again

Spoilerish stuff may be ahead...

Just saw it at a midnight screening in Australia. There was laughter, tears, and a very entertained crowd after the latest two hour non-stop action extravaganza from JJ and co.

The opening 15 and final 15 minutes detract a bit, but the middle 90 minutes are quite intriguing. There is some real mystery in there, and those of you who have gone cold turkey on Star Trek websites to avoid spoilers will really have fun trying to figure it all out. I sure did.

Yes it's a popcorn action movie, and there are some plot elements that weren't well thought out, but there is plenty of stuff in there for old TOS fans like me to love, and it's a fun action move for everyone else. The Abrams team get the balance right again, but most of all it's another really fun movie.